The present invention relates to weapons that discharge a round by rapidly expanding gasses provided by the ignition of a propellant, more particularly, to a muzzle brake for such weapons.
When a weapon is fired, the weapon moves in the opposite direction of the projectile's exit from the barrel. For firearms, such as rifles, the recoil of the rifle will cause the butt or stock of the rifle to impact the shooter's shoulder. The recoil can cause a sore shoulder and has a tendency to reduce a shooter's accuracy.
For large caliber weapons, such as machine guns, cannons, and howitzers, the substantial recoil forces encountered by such systems require large structural components or systems to absorb or otherwise dissipate the recoil forces generated by the weapon system. This may add substantial weight and complexity to the weapon system, as well as contributing to lifecycle costs of repair or replacement of components that become fatigued through repeated firing of the weapon.
Other muzzle brakes available in the art of firearms use flat plates or round holes that are formed in the ends of the barrel in order to reduce recoil and limit muzzle climb. Flat plates are inefficient at producing a counteracting force and cause noise from the gas impinging on the plates. On the other hand, while round holes drilled in the weapon barrel can limit muzzle climb, they are relatively ineffective at reducing the firearm's recoil.
As can be seen, there is a need for an improved muzzle brake to reduce recoil and muzzle climb.